Ayurveda And Backwaters Tour In Kerala

DAY 1 – Kovalam (Kerala)
Welcome to God’s own country, Kerala : Welcome aboard! You are welcomed & picked up by our executive from the main exit of the airport / railway station and transferred to the hotel in your private car (Our executive will be waiting outside the custom area with a placard of your name). We will have a welcome briefing covering the various aspects of the tour (ensuring that you have the best of the Indian holiday) and you will be handed over the India travel kit containing all relevant documents of your trip (air/rail tickets, hotel vouchers, transport, guide, sightseeing vouchers, writing pads with other travel related documents).

You are transferred to the Ayurveda beach resort. Your sojourn here would begin with a medical check up. A questionnaire session would be followed by a physical examination. The doctor would prescribe you a basic rejuvenation program supplemented by a handful of ala carte treatment for specific ailments. The treatment would begin today itself may be with a general body massage with herbal oils and herbal powder to tone up the body and improve the blood circulation. This is followed by a medicated bath or a steam bath.

DAY 2 – Ayurvedic spa
A Haven for heeling : Ayurveda is a 5000-year-old Indian science of ‘healthy life’ which aims at strengthening our immune system and preventing diseases. Legend has it that Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe according to the Hindu mythology) discovered this science.

Begin your day by ambling in the verdant lawns and having a yoga session thereafter. The activities for the day would go as per the prescription of the doctor. Today you may go for Shirodhara in which some herbal oils, medicated milk etc. are poured on the forehead in a special manner for about 45 minutes in a day as a cure for insomnia, mental tension and certain skin diseases. Or you can select from a variety of massages available.

In free time attend some lecture or workshop or take stroll on the seashore. Doctors encourage you to select your dishes, according to your constitution, from the Ayurvedic menu designed by the resort.

DAY 3 – Ayurvedic spa
An opportunity to outsmart your illness : Going on a guided tour to the medicinal herbs and plants garden followed by a yoga session is probably the best start for a beautiful day.

Besides the general massage, going for Pizichil would be a good idea. In this lukewarm herbal oils are applied all over the body, by two to four trained masseurs, in a special rhythmic way. This treatment is very useful for Rheumatism and neurological disorders. The cosmetic freaks must try mukhalepam, a facial treatment with different kinds of herbal paste. Very effective in removal of wrinkles, cellulites, blackheads etc. It beautifies and rejuvenates the facial skin. Karna dhoopanam is way cool method to clean and detoxify the ears puffing medicated anti septic fumes into the ears for just 5 – 10 minutes.

Most of the treatments would require only a few hours each day. So you can easily find time to visit the nearby attractions or simply idle away in a swinging hammock. If you are lucky enough you may get a chance to attend occasional culture shows at the resort.

DAY 4 – Ayurvedic Spa>Houseboat (176km/4hrs)
A giant country craft : Today you will be transferred to the houseboat to sail on the backwaters- the USP of Kerala. In Kerala, the total expanse of backwater stretches over 1500 kms, with a network of 44 rivers, lagoons and lakes from north to south. Alleppey which forms the main part of this network has the peculiar geographical feature of having the water in level with the land. This gives the advantage of getting a closer look at the countryside life on shore while on a backwater ride.

Your houseboat has fully furnished bed room, with a drawing cum dining area, kitchen and a toilet. The fish preparations, in local flavour, on the houseboat are really a gourmet’s delight. In the evening the houseboat comes to a halt for overnight stay.

DAY 5 – Houseboat
Home afloat – a masterpiece of intricate craftsmanship :Authentically designed and luxuriously furnished houseboats, plying on the fabled backwaters give you a chance to absorb the maximum of Kerala beauty. While gliding at a leisurely pace you pass across the paddy fields, numerous tiny hamlets where you find the villagers busy in their routine work, women coming to the water edges to haggle with the shopkeeper boatman, places where paddy is grown below sea level, flocks of ducks, the water hens which at times seem to be playing hide and seek, some eye catching aquatic plants etc. all of which make for a wonderful sight.

Did you know that your kettuvallam i.e. houseboat is made of Jack wood planks tied together without even a single nail being hammered in (don’t panic, each of these masterpieces last not for years but for generations). It is coated with a special resin obtained by boiling cashew kernels. So, now you know that you are experiencing something unique about which you can brag back home.

DAY 6 – Houseboat>Kochi (67 km / 1.5 hrs)
Queen of Arabian sea :Its time to bid farewell to the houseboat. So, after the breakfast you drive towards Kochi . There are no pre-planned activities for the day. You can either rest in your hotel and watch a Kathakali performance in the evening or go for some sight seeing that includes Matancherry palace, Pardesi Synagogue, Santa Cruz basilica, St Francis church and Chinese fishing nets.

DAY 7 – Kochi
Hope to see you soon – goodbye : Here your sojourn in India comes to a halt. We hope that it leaves you with rejuvenated body and mind and off course with fond remembrances which will linger around you for a lifetime.

Many of the French, German and Italians who return here annually feel that miracles happen here. I am sure, before you quit this place; you would have also realized its miraculous might and have already planned your next visit to this God’s own country.